David Paton, a pioneering ophthalmologist, founded Project Orbis, transforming a United Airlines jet into the Flying Eye Hospital to bring eye care to developing countries and train local doctors. Inspired by the need for accessible eye care, Paton faced significant challenges in acquiring a plane, eventually securing a DC-8 jet with the help of influential supporters and funding from the United States Agency for International Development. The project launched its first mission to Panama in 1982, expanding to numerous countries and treating conditions like uveitis, while also providing education for local medical workers. Paton, who was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal by Ronald Reagan in 1987, left Project Orbis the same year but continued to advise the organization informally. Orbis International, now using its third plane, has performed hundreds of thousands of surgeries and training sessions, showcasing the enduring impact of Paton's visionary idea.

David Paton was inspired to create Project Orbis, a flying hospital, due to the increasing cases of preventable blindness in remote regions and the need to enhance medical education for existing doctors.

Despite initial setbacks in acquiring an aircraft, including refusals from military and university sources, Paton successfully secured a DC-8 jet through the support of United Airlines' chief executive, with financial assistance from the United States Agency for International Development.

The Flying Eye Hospital took flight in 1982, with volunteer medical professionals conducting surgeries and training in countries like Panama, Peru, and Nepal, and hosting notable visitors such as Mother Teresa and Fidel Castro.

A notable case involved a 14-year-old girl in Cuba with uveitis, treated by Dr. Edward Holland, illustrating the hospital's ability to transform lives through complex eye surgeries and subsequent patient recovery.

Paton, who was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal in 1987, ended his role as medical director of Project Orbis that year, but the organization has continued to thrive, performing over 621,000 surgeries from 2014 to 2023.

Born into a prominent family of eye specialists, Paton was educated at Princeton and Johns Hopkins, later holding key positions at prestigious eye institutes and building lifelong friendships with influential figures like James A. Baker III.

Orbis International, the successor of Project Orbis, remains a testament to Paton's innovative vision, with its third-generation plane still traveling worldwide, providing vital eye care and medical education.